九龙乌头 jiu long wu tou

Caudex obconical or carrot-shaped, 3.5--4 cm, 0.9--1.4 cm in diam. Stem ca. 1 m, apically spreading pubescent. Distal leaves shortly petiolate; petiole ca. 1.2 cm; leaf blade cordate-pentagonal, ca. 7 × 7 cm, papery, abaxially pilose, adaxially appressed pubescent, 3-sect; central segment narrowly rhombic, apex long acuminate, pinnately lobed; lobes triangular, lateral segments unequally 2-parted. Inflorescence terminal, ca. 24 cm, 22-flowered; rachis and pedicels densely retrorse and appressed pubescent; proximal bracts leaflike, distal ones linear, ca. 8 mm. Pedicels 2--4 cm, with 2 bracteoles at middle or below; proximal bracteoles leaflike, 0.5--1.5 cm, others linear, 3--5 mm. Sepals blue-purple, abaxially appressed pubescent; lower sepals narrowly elliptic or linear-lanceolate; lateral sepals obliquely broadly obovate, ca. 1.6 × 1.5--1.7 cm, adaxially sparsely villous; upper sepal high galeate, 2--2.6 cm high, clawed, with a beak ca. 5 mm, lower margin 1.5--2 cm. Petaline lip ca. 6 mm, glabrous, 2-lobed at apex; spur curved, ca. 2.5 mm, pilose. Stamens glabrous; filaments entire. Carpels 3, densely appressed pubescent. Fl. Jul.

* By streams; ca. 2500 m. W Sichuan (Jiulong Xian).